March 15, 2008

"You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should."

Those words above have been embedded in my consciousness since I first encountered the Desiderata years ago. It has brought me peace and comfort when others have seen fit to exclude, isolate, marginalize or exclude me by race, religion, gender, ethnicity and nationality or for social, economic or political reasons. It is worth remembering the power of words. As they say, "The pen is mightier than the sword."

My advice to others who encounter difficulties or obstacles along their life journey is to remember the above few lines and to take comfort in them. When others dehumanize, ridicule or try to humiliate you, keep your faith in God or your Higher Power. All of creation is here for a purpose and we must understand and respect the Divine Plan. Loving and respecting our fellow man and woman is a noble ideal.